Lenzerheide (1500 m a/s) is a summer and winter resort greatly favoured by the Swiss, particularly by families. About two hours away from Zurich, on either side of the road at opposite ends of the lake, the twin resorts of Lenzerheide and Valbella sit on the route to the Julierpass. Popular ski areas are on the Weisshorn, the Rothorn, the Lenzerhorn and the smaller Schwarzhorn. The town of Lenzerheide only developed in the first half of the 20th century. Until then, the area had been used by the farmers of Obervaz as summer pastures. Joachim Cantieni opened the Kurhaus hotel in 1882 and Fidel Rischatsch-Bläsi opened the Schweizerhof hotel, which is why these two men are considered to be the ‘founders’ of the health resort Lenzerheide. The first Catholic church was built in 1886. At first, the health resort was only open during the summer; in the 1890s it started to be used in winter with unheated rooms. In January 1903, Switzerland’s first official ski course was carried out in Lenzerheide. In the 1920s and 30s, hotels, residential houses and holiday residences were built and a boom started when the first ski lift was built in 1936. The Second World War interrupted the development of the town and its hotel business. However, from about 1950 there has been a continuous boom in the building of holiday homes, making Lenzerheide one of the most important winter and summer resorts in the Grisons.
Lenzerheide (1500 m a/s) is a summer and winter resort greatly favoured by the Swiss, particularly by families. About two hours away from Zurich, on either side of the road a ...
t opposite ends of the lake, the twin resorts of Lenzerheide and Valbella sit on the route to the Julierpass. Popular ski areas are on the Weisshorn, the Rothorn, the Lenzerhorn and the smaller Schwarzhorn. The town of Lenzerheide only developed in the first half of the 20th century. Until then, the area had been used by the farmers of Obervaz as summer pastures. Joachim Cantieni opened the Kurhaus hotel in 1882 and Fidel Rischatsch-Bläsi opened the Schweizerhof hotel, which is why these two men are considered to be the ‘founders’ of the health resort Lenzerheide. The first Catholic church was built in 1886. At first, the health resort was only open during the summer; in the 1890s it started to be used in winter with unheated rooms. In January 1903, Switzerland’s first official ski course was carried out in Lenzerheide. In the 1920s and 30s, hotels, residential houses and holiday residences were built and a boom started when the first ski lift was built in 1936. The Second World War interrupted the development of the town and its hotel business. However, from about 1950 there has been a continuous boom in the building of holiday homes, making Lenzerheide one of the most important winter and summer resorts in the Grisons.
